decided to check today if Western Union works in Mexico for Russians

Decided to check today if Western Union works in Mexico for Russians. Here's the story. ))

There's no actual WU office in Playa del Carmen — you have to go to a bank. At Oxxo (the local Pyatyorochka), which had a "Western Union" sign on the door, where I went first, they didn't give me cash. Naturally, our Pyatyorochka or Magnit wouldn't have either.

And before I opened the door to step outside, a man sitting at a table in Oxxo near the exit told me that about 500 meters from here there's an Electra store that sells various electronics, and inside it I'd find Banco Azteca. "That's the one you need," the man said to me as a send-off.

While I was standing in line — and I stood for about an hour — my mobile internet ran out. )) What bad luck. Had some trouble topping up my balance.

And just as my turn was coming up, I finally managed to put money on my phone. Lucky. )) I was on the edge, really. No internet — no translator. How would I have talked to the bank employee then? It's foolish to count on anyone here knowing English.

The bank employee didn't immediately get what the matter was and why the transaction couldn't be completed. He double-checked my passport details several times, ran off somewhere a couple of times to consult with someone, apparently. In the end he sat down, grabbed a piece of paper, and started writing something to me. In English, by the way.

I look at the first words written and realize I'm not getting anything here today. It said something like "WU can't serve russian passport."

I'd heard before that WU had cut off oxygen for Russians, but a try isn't torture. About AirBNB, for example, there were similar rumors — that they could openly screw us over, take our money and not provide housing — but in reality the rumors turned out to be just rumors. What's more, that wonderful company bailed me out twice, and thanks to them I didn't have to sleep on the street twice.

So we decided to try, but... not meant to be. Well, time to head home. On the way to the bank I picked up another one and a half pesos, added them to the coins I found yesterday, and figured I had more than 10 in my pocket — that's exactly what a ride around town costs on the Collectivo (the local minibus). But I was wrong. I was short half a peso — turns out I accidentally left three pesos at home. Math. 👍🏻

Walking again... 🤯 Heat, Sun. But I got lucky here — after about 10 minutes I found a small pile of pesos — 0.1 pesos, 0.2 pesos (several of those coins), neatly stacked at the base of a column under a big highway bridge, and now I have even more than 10 pesos.

Hooray! I won't walk 5 km! 🥳

Turns out coins of this denomination exist here too — added two more coins to my collection today.

It's 14:54 now.
Heading home.

My gratitude to you 🤍 for your willingness to help and your responsiveness. I appreciate it.

Arthur O'Harra.

#WesternUnionForRussians